Cassiopeia Black and the Second Wizarding War
by TeamComrade11
Summary: Cassiopeia Black: a Slytherin, and a pure-blood, with an unacceptable crush on a blood-traitor, and a best friend with confusing feelings for her. Raised by the Tonks and the Malfoys, Cassie is torn between two worlds when she is finally forced to make a decision and leave one behind forever. Can she give up what she wants most to save the Wizarding Community, and maybe the world?


Disclaimer: I do not own Harry Potter.

**Cassiopeia Black and the Second Wizarding War**

**Prologue**

Fear and pain - those were the two things I could recall when I tried to remember my parents. Yelling, hiding, flashes of color… Flashes of red always brought screams. Flashes of green brought silence. I couldn't remember much in the way of details, though, as I wasn't quite four years old when the First War ended. The softness of my mother's dark, curly hair that was so similar to my own stood out to me… Aunt Cissy consoling me… Flashes of cruel, slanted, red eyes and his piercing stare…

I'd like to say I left the Black family and never looked back. That as soon as I was old enough to understand, I ran away and was disowned - scorched off the Black Family Tree. Maybe my life would have been easier if I had been braver… if I hadn't followed the pure-blood ideologies.

Maybe I could have grown up with a supportive family. Maybe I could have built stronger friendships. Maybe I could have had a fully functioning relationship with _him - _not one that had to be kept secret.

Maybe I could have saved more innocents. Maybe I should have killed less. Maybe I could have protected more of my loved ones…

Maybe, maybe, _maybe_…

_But I didn't. _

What did it matter, really? Thinking of the what-ifs would change nothing, now. It would save no one - bring back no one.

Perhaps if I _had_ been disowned, more lives would have perished. I don't know. So, instead, I'll tell you what I do know.

My name is Cassiopeia Black. This is my story.

**Chapter One: Fifth Year and Unwanted Memories**

The train came to a stop with a jolt, and distant thuds and bangs echoed throughout the hall - as though the luggage had fallen out of the racks. Then, without warning, all lamps went out and we were plunged into total darkness.

"Cedric?" I whispered, feeling fear freeze my heart.

"Bloody hell!" Came a muffled sound right outside our compartment. The door opened, and I drew my wand.

"Ah! Merlin's saggy left – Hey! Don't poke my eye out with that thing! I've already had half of Hogwarts' luggage fall on my head…"

"Weasley?" I asked in astonishment, unsure which twin it was, but lowering my wand briefly. "What're you doing in here? Get out!"

"Shut the door!" Cedric hissed suddenly. There was a great shuffle as Cedric and Weasley tried to get out of each other's way.

"Ouch!" I gasped. "That was my foot, you tosser!" I complained, glaring at the Weasley twin through the darkness.

"Sorry!" Cedric panted, finally getting the door shut.

Both of them were tall and burly, and trying to avoid them proved impossible. I thought I'd be able to neatly sidestep them, but I wasn't used to the extra height I had gained recently. To my despair, I had also gained weight, and I found myself constantly hitting my hips on practically everything I walked past. I was no longer the girl I was used to. Aunt Cissy said it was because I was becoming a 'woman' now, but also that I'd better lay off on the sweets.

"What's going on out there?" I whispered, raising my wand. "Lumos!" I whispered, filling the compartment with a small amount of light. I was actually able to see Weasley for the first time since he stepped foot inside our compartment. His flaming-red hair had grown longer over the summer, but he looked pretty much the same.

Arrogant. Oblivious. Stupid.

"That would have been helpful a min-," Weasley complained, but the soft squeak of the door sliding open distracted him.

Standing in the doorway, illuminated by my wand, was a cloaked figure that towered to the ceiling. Its face was completely hidden beneath its hood. It drew a slow, rattling breath, as though it were trying to suck something other than air.

An intense cold like I had never felt before swept over me. My breath caught in my throat. The cold was deeper than skin – it sank into my bones.

I felt like I would never be happy again. Like there was this horrible darkness I carried in my heart. My stomach felt queasy - almost like I was in pain.

My vision went dim and I had the distinct sensation of falling. There was a roaring in my ears. I was falling, falling, falling…

I heard a horrible, high-pitched cackle that I hadn't heard in years. If possible, I grew even colder. There were sobs, and someone else was screaming.

"Please! Please!" The man sobbed as a woman in the background screamed an endless note of pain.

The laughter continued, and so did the screams-

"Cassie! Weasley, help me with her! Cassie?"

I blinked and slowly someone's face came into detail - right in front of mine. His long hair was mussed, and his eyes were wide with… concern? I had never considered a Weasley to be attractive before. His face was so close to mine. My heart pounded as I looked up at him. Then, I heard a noise to my right and I shifted slightly, catching a glimpse of Cedric who was looking at us oddly. I glanced down to the warm hand on my shoulder. My eyes travelled upward, along his muscular arm, pausing as I took in his expression, realizing that he, too, was staring at me intently. I hoped they couldn't hear how fast my heart was beating. Merlin, there were men everywhere!

I tore my gaze from his and focused on my surroundings. The floor beneath me was rumbling, and the lights were back on. The train was moving.

"Wh-what happened?" I asked shakily, as they helped me back into the seat. I wanted to protest, but I felt too drained. I shifted my gaze back to Cedric, noticing that he looked paler than usual.

"That thing came in here and seemed to look around. You fainted and then it left." Weasley recounted.

I looked between the two of them, feeling bizarre. "Fainted? But who was screaming, and there was a man-,"

Cedric's hand inched towards mine, just barely brushing my freezing fingertips. "No one was screaming." He said slowly, his grey eyes piercing mine.

Something funny stirred in my stomach and we were quiet for a moment.

"Er, I should go get help." Weasley began, "I think you hit your head-,"

"No!" I shouted, getting up shakily and practically throwing myself in front of the door. "You can't!"

"But, you're hurt-!" Cedric protested.

"No, I'm fine, I promise." I disagreed. And really, I was fine. I still felt cold, and empty, and I was sticky with sweat, but I would survive. Weasley was right - I did hit my head. It only hurt a little, though. Maybe it was the adrenaline. "You can't tell anyone." I ordered. Cedric thought this over before reluctantly agreeing. "You too, Weasley! Which one are you anyway?!" I needed to know which one to threaten if the story got out. Why were there so many Weasleys at Hogwarts, anyway? Didn't the Weasleys know about Contraceptive Potion?

"Blimey, it's me: _George_. Couldn't you tell by my good looks?" He asked arrogantly.

"I swear, if you so much as breathe a word of this to the rest of the Gryffindorks-!" I threatened him, giving him a scary glare.

"Alright, alright, not a word!" Weasley – George – promised.

"Good. You wouldn't want to piss off a prefect, would you, Weasley? I know the kind of trouble you and that twin of yours get up to at night. It'd be a shame if I made my first task as a prefect making you lose every point Gryffindor earns this year. Actually, you know what? Don't tempt me, Weasley, that sounds rather appealing-"

Weasley swore, quickly leaving the compartment, muttering something that didn't sound complimentary. I could've sworn I heard him muttering something about a _Percy_? Didn't he have a brother named Percy? Or was it Perry?

Once he left, Cedric burst out laughing. "What?" I asked defensively, crossing my arms.

"I forgot how scary you can be sometimes. Poor George." Cedric chuckled.

Cedric kept pestering me about how I was feeling, and eventually, I sent him away on reconnaissance. (No one else fainted?) (Just you and Harry Potter).

News spread quickly throughout the train that Harry Potter had fainted, but, quite frankly, I was just glad it was him and not me they were discussing.

_**~*~*~*~Cassiopeia Black and the Second Wizarding War~*~*~*~**_

It was only the second day of term when things started to go horribly wrong that year. Well, perhaps it all started when my cousin, Sirius Black escaped from Azkaban, but that wasn't the point. I was in Charms class with Professor Flitwick, reviewing summoning charms from last year. I was particularly smug because I had just been awarded ten points for Slytherin. To my delight, Professor Flitwick had taken a liking to me early on in my first year at Hogwarts, unlike most of my other professors at the time. It had taken me until at least _second_ year to win them over. The notoriety of being the daughter of the Dark Lord's most loyal servant followed me throughout the wizarding world. It didn't help that I had inherited many of the classic Black looks, either. Most of Hogwarts had deemed me safe by now, but at the beginning of each term, I was always a source of fear for the first-years. The stares and startled whispers seemed worse this year, probably because of my murdering, lunatic of a relative who had escaped from Azkaban.

My triumph was interrupted when a crying third-year burst into the room. It was Pansy Parkinson, a nasty little girl with a smooshed-looking face. She also happened to be one of Draco's friends.

"Cassiopeia! Come quick – Draco's in the Hospital Wing! I don't know if he'll last much longer!" It was hard to make out her words, as she was sobbing almost hysterically.

I gathered my things quickly, shooting a frantic look at Professor Flitwick, who was clearly startled. "Er, very well, then! Off you go." He squeaked from his platform of stacked books.

I ran to the Hospital Wing, losing track of the stubby girl behind me. My heart felt like it was going to beat out of my chest, and I wasn't sure if it was due to physical exertion or fear for my little cousin. Thankfully most students were in class, so I didn't have any witnesses.

Finally, I burst through the doors of the Hospital Wing, and leaned over on my knees as I tried to catch my breath. "Draco!" I wheezed, "What happened? Did he – is he - ?" It seemed I wasn't as fit as I used to be. I guess getting kicked off the Quidditch team will do that to you.

"Goodness, girl!" Madam Pomfrey exclaimed, looking quite bewildered. "It's just a scratch – I assure you he's quite alright."

I relaxed slightly, suddenly feeling much better, but I still wanted to see for myself. She turned away to tend to something and I followed after her, assuming I'd find Draco there. It didn't take much searching at all as his moans of pain gave him away.

"Draco! Are you alright?" I exclaimed, rushing to his side. My eyes widened at the sight of him. He was covered in blood and there was a long, deep gash on his right arm. I looked over to Madam Pomfrey who was finally at his bedside. "What are you waiting for? Fix him!"

She looked appalled. "You shouldn't even be back here. If you can't be quiet, you'll have to wait in the hall!"

I shut up but stewed internally. Didn't she know who she was talking to? How _dare_ a half-blood speak to me like that! I sucked in a breath, suddenly horrified with myself. Shame crashed over me in waves, making me feel physically nauseous. I barely noticed Madam Pomfrey waving her wand over Draco's wound, slowly sealing it shut. Merlin, all those years with the Malfoys were affecting me. I remembered a time when I first lived with them. I was sick of them calling my Uncle Ted a mudblood, and I yelled at them to stop. That little indiscretion had earned me the cane. It was horrible, and I could recall the incident as if it were yesterday. It was the first time Uncle Lucius caned me, but it wasn't the worst, and it wasn't the last. What next? Would I turn on the Tonks, the family that raised me? Would I be calling Uncle Ted a dirty mudblood? My Aunt Dromeda a blood-traitor? No, I couldn't blame this solely on the Malfoys. There was something wrong with me – with who I was as a person. I came from a long lineage of Blacks, and my mother was the most infamous of them all. I remembered her torturing muggles and blood-traitors alike, just for the fun of it. She called them dirty scum – reveling in their screams. I remembered hiding, usually behind furniture, trying to keep quiet as I cried. Sometimes, if she caught me crying, she turned the wand on _me_… My breathing sped up and I squeezed my eyes shut, trying to block out the unwanted memories.

"Are you squeamish, dear? I can whip up a potion for you once I'm done here." The kind woman offered. I opened my eyes and observed her work. Draco's wound looked much better than it had before, even though he was still moaning. She was using a charm to clean the blood off him now. Tergeo, if I had to guess. "Oh, stop your whinging!"

"It hurts!" Draco cried.

"So, he'll be alright, then?" I asked, glancing at the clock dubiously. If I left now, I might just barely make it to my first Defense Against the Dark Arts lesson on time…

"Of course!" She scoffed, apparently offended that I would ask such a foolish question.

"Draco, I have to get back to class." I told him. "I'll catch up with you later." I promised, giving him a reassuring squeeze on his good arm.

I was only a few steps away when the doors burst open. The Parkinson girl practically collapsed into the room. I glared at her as I passed, feeling my temper flare again. The stubby girl had me believing my little cousin was moments from death, when he was really just being a big baby. I kind of wanted to kick her, but I refrained because I was sort of on a time crunch. I didn't exactly run to class, but I certainly wasn't walking, either.

I was almost there. I was so close. Maybe I could make it on time, after all. Just a few more ste - !

"Bloody hell!" I exclaimed, colliding with something solid and falling on my arse. The stone floor was hard, and I knew I'd be feeling it for a while. I glared up at the person, brushing my curly hair out of my eyes and realizing it was – "Professor Lupin! I'm sorry. I didn't see you there." I apologized, hoping my mortification wasn't obvious. I scrambled to pick up the things that had spilled out of my bag. He leaned down and helped pick up my things as well. I scrambled to my feet.

"That's alright." He assured me, taking in my appearance. "You must be Miss Black. Cassiopeia was it?"

"Yes, sir." I confirmed, waiting for the inevitable 'any relation to…' question.

It didn't come. Instead, he handed me my stack of books. I stuffed my things into my bag. "Thank you, sir." I said politely, hoping I hadn't ruined his first impression of me. "I was just on my way to your lesson."

"Ah, yes, of course. I'm sure they'll be waiting for us. I have quite the exciting lesson planned for today."

I followed after him toward the classroom, grimacing at his shabby, patched robes. I had never seen such atrocious attire on a wizard before. He seemed nice enough, but I wasn't convinced he could possibly be a great teacher with the rags he dressed himself in.

"Good afternoon, would you please put away your things and take out your wands." Professor Lupin said, addressing the class. I had double DADA with the Gryffindors, which unfortunately meant half of their Quidditch team, including the Weasley twins. I glared at the twins, reminding whichever one was George to keep his mouth shut about the train incident. People were still making fun of Potter and I didn't need that kind of embarrassment in my life. I set my bag down at the empty seat Terrence Higgs saved for me. Terry was one of my closest friends and housemates. All eyes were on me and many of the Slytherins were actively trying to get my attention. I didn't feel like making an announcement to the class, and I didn't feel it appropriate, anyway. Most of my Slytherin classmates were smart. They'd come to the realization that Draco must be fine. Otherwise, I wouldn't have returned to class.

"If you'd follow me," instructed Professor Lupin, leading us out of the classroom and down several corridors. Finally, we entered a dusty classroom that looked like it hadn't been used in years.

He led us to the far side of the room and stopped near a closet of some-sorts. There was a sudden bang on the door from the inside, and it shook slightly. I aimed my wand at the closet, my heart racing as I was caught off-guard. A few people leapt back, and some of the girls even screamed.

"No need to be alarmed," said Professor Lupin calmly. "Now, can anyone tell me what creature is inside?"

A slow feeling of apprehension crept over me as I realized what must be inside.

"Is it a Boggart?" Rosalie Selwyn, another girl in Slytherin, asked.

"Forgive me, I have a lot of names to learn, Miss…?" Professor Lupin trailed off, ignoring the closet door that gave another rumble.

"My name is Rosalie Selwyn, sir." She replied somewhat shyly.

"Very good, Rosalie! And what is a Boggart?" He asked.

She hesitated. "It's a creature that will shift into whatever form it thinks will frighten us most."

"And how do you get rid of a Boggart?" He continued.

A voice spoke up next to me. "The riddikulus charm, and it's Terrence, sir, Terrence Higgs. You have to imagine your fear as something else – something funny."

"Very good! Ten points to Slytherin for excellent answers from Rosalie and Terrence."

There was a small groan of annoyance from one of the Weasleys, but the professor chose to ignore it.

"Now, this is more of a review than anything, as I've been told you've learned about Boggarts. I wanted us to all have an exciting first lesson together, so don't forget: laughter is what's really important here. Does anybody have any questions before we begin?" He asked. "No? Alright, then, form a line. Yes, there you go."

I somehow had the fortune of being near the end of the line. I made sure to keep my face smooth, but I couldn't keep my palms from sweating. This was such a personal exercise – much too personal for my liking. What would my worst fear be? I had once encountered a Boggart at Malfoy Manor, and it took the form of Lucius, but that was a long time ago. I wasn't as afraid of him as I once was.

Lee Jordan was first in line. Professor Lupin opened the closet door, and out walked… himself? He was clutching at his throat and trying to say something, but no words were coming out. That was his worst fear? Seriously? Losing his voice? Several people chuckled, mostly Slytherins. "Riddikulus!" He shouted, there was a whip-like crack sound, and his Boggart suddenly had an afro, and was wearing disco clothes. It was singing some tune that I assumed must be a muggle song. The Weasley's were beside themselves, hanging onto each other as they laughed with the rest of the class.

Crack!

Kerigan Rowle was next, and the Boggart transformed into a giant shark, with rows and rows of sharp teeth. It snapped its jaws at her as she furrowed her brow in determination. "Riddikulus!"

Crack! The shark turned into a goldfish, flopping on the floor.

Crack! The goldfish changed into a gigantic, hairy, Acromantula when Alicia Spinnet faced it. Several shrieks echoed throughout the room. It made a horrid clicking noise, scuttling towards the Gryffindor Chaser. "Riddikulus!" She cried.

Crack! The tarantula lost all of its hair, and its legs turned to spaghetti. It fell to the floor, unable to move.

Angelina Johnson, another Gryffindor Chaser, stepped forward. Crack! I couldn't believe my eyes when the Boggart became Oliver bleeding Wood. Several laughs echoed throughout the room, mine included. The Boggart shuddered slightly, almost becoming out of focus.

"Excellent! It's confused!" Professor Lupin shouted.

Wood approached her menacingly, a terrifying expression on his face that I didn't believe him capable of. "You lost us the Quidditch Cup! How could you? You're off the team!" He shouted.

Angelina looked almost distraught, and her wand hand shook.

"Well? Don't just stand there! Get off my pitch!"

"Riddikulus!" She shouted at last. Crack! Wood was half-naked, with only a pair of boxers decked out with Puddlemere United logos. The whole class bust out into laughter, and the Boggart Wood tried to hide his underwear by holding his hands out in front of him. The Weasley twins especially seemed to find it most comical.

Emily Abbott, a rather meek Gryffindor, stepped forward. Crack! A large rattlesnake appeared, and the girl whimpered in fright. It slithered closer and closer to her, but she didn't even have her wand raised. What was she going to do? Let it attack her?

I stepped forward, not stopping to think. "_Stop!_" I shouted, the command easily coming out in Parseltongue. The serpent stopped, within centimeters of the trembling Gryffindor before focusing its attention on me. Crack!

It was a woman. She was a little taller than I was, wearing a hooded cloak and dressed in all-black robes. She had long, dark-chocolate-colored, cascading curls. I watched in confusion as she reached up to push her hood back. Her sleeves slid down her forearms slightly. Just peeking out on her left forearm was a black symbol I was all too familiar with. The Dark Mark. Her hood fell back, and I saw her face for the first time.

What in the name of Merlin…?

I was staring at myself, only I looked different. Older, more mature somehow, but there was a cruel, dark expression on my face. I normally had a porcelain complexion, but this Cassie's skin was chalk-white.

"No…" I whispered. My heart was racing. I was frozen with dread. I didn't know what to do.

The Boggart smiled cruelly at me. "Why're you fighting it, Cassie? There's nothing you can do to stop it." Her words echoed throughout the room, cold and malicious.

"No, no, no, no, no..." I whispered, trying to pull myself together. I raised my wand again, "Riddikulus!" I cried

The room went quiet again and I felt all eyes on me. Then, it exploded as everyone tried to talk over the others.

"Did you see that?"

"-Parselmouth!"

"- the snake…"

"- like Harry Potter!"

"- Bellatrix and Sirius Black -,"

"You-Know-Who -,"

"Relatives are a bunch of Death Eaters -,"

One voice rang out clearer than the others – Andrew Kirke, a Gryffindor – and the chatter quieted slightly. "So, Cassie, when're you going to go meet up with Sirius Black? Or were you the one that helped him escape from Azkaban? I mean, everyone knows that the darkest wizards are Parselmouths -,"

"-I told you she was behind the attacks last year-!" Melissa Prewett interrupted.

Lupin's voice interrupted him. "That's enough! Twenty points from Gryffindor, and if I hear any more talk about this it'll be detention – for _everyone_. Do I make myself clear?"

Annoyed mutters of agreement sounded, but I wasn't paying attention. I had just gathered my things and was hurriedly leaving the classroom. My mind was racing. Did they really know that I opened the Chamber of Secrets last year? How could I have been so stupid?

"Miss Black!" Lupin called, but I ignored him. I was also fairly certain I heard familiar voices calling my name – probably my friends. I didn't care. I needed to be alone.

_**~*~*~*~Cassiopeia Black and the Second Wizarding War~*~*~*~**_

I spent the rest of the day in my bed with the curtains drawn. It must have been after dinnertime when I heard a familiar, quiet voice. "Cassiopeia?" Hestia Carrow, my first Slytherin friend, asked hesitantly.

I didn't respond.

"Cedric Diggory is causing quite the… commotion in the dungeons. He wants to speak to you."

I was quiet for a moment. "I don't want to see him." I said at last.

She hesitated. "He says that he won't leave until you come out."

I scowled, cursing his persistence. I didn't doubt that he would, too. I left my fortress, still cursing as I appraised myself in the mirror. My hair was a mess, and my face was paler than usual. My eyes were red-rimmed, but other than that, I looked fairly normal. I ran a comb through my hair quickly, applying some of my Sleekeazy's Hair Potion to help tame it. I smoothed out my robes before leaving the dormitory.

As soon as I entered the Common Room, an unnatural hush fell. I clenched my jaw and scowled, glowering at them all. "What're you looking at?" I growled dangerously. A first-year actually squeaked, and there was another pause before they half-heartedly turned back to what they were doing, giving me side-long glances.

I was still glowering as I left the Common Room. I knew that Cedric didn't know the exact location of the Common Room, so I walked further down the corridor, searching for him. I turned a corner and felt something bump into me. Merlin, why couldn't I walk without running into people?

"Eek!" It muttered, and I glanced down to see a Hufflepuff first-year that I didn't recognize. His eyes grew impossibly large as he stared up at me, and to my utter surprise, tears welled up in his eyes. "Ahhh!" He screamed, jumping up and running back from wherever he came, still screaming.

I blinked, staring down the corridor where he had turned and disappeared to. I sighed, running a hand through my hair.

A tall figure rounded the corner and stopped in its tracks. "Cass!" A familiar voice called, a note of relief in his voice. I waited, frozen, as he approached.

"You wished to speak with me?" I asked stiffly, once he was closer.

His gray eyes were stormy, and his dark brown hair looked nearly black, probably because of the low-lighting in the dungeon. It caught me off-guard a little.

I waited for the inevitable, my arms crossed defensively in front of me. _Don't be a baby, _I warned myself. _It's better like this, anyway. Like ripping off a Band-Aid. _

"Are you okay? I heard about what happened…" Cedric trailed off suddenly looking more uncertain than he had before.

"Of course, you did." I replied, not at all surprised.

"You didn't answer my question."

I rolled my eyes. "I'm fine."

"You don't look fine." He observed, stepping closer, and then pausing. "Why didn't you tell me you were a Parselmouth? You know you can talk to me." He was close to me, _too_ close.

"You'd better run along," I warned darkly, my heart racing from frustration, "before they start thinking you're a Death Eater, too."

"I don't care!" He insisted stubbornly. "You're not like that – I know you're not. It'll be okay. This'll all blow over."

"It's not that simple!" I hissed, "You don't understand what it's like! You don't understand any of it!" I tugged at my curls in frustration.

He waited patiently, although a small frown settled on his face. "You know that's not true." He said calmly. "Of course, I can't know exactly what it's like, but I know _you_, Cass."

I glowered at him stormily. It wasn't fair. He _did_ know me. We had grown up together. We were best friends, practically siblings. He spent half of his childhood at home with the Tonks and me while his parents were at work. We managed to stay friends even though he was in Hufflepuff and I was in Slytherin. I could never hide anything from him, not successfully, anyway. It was frustrating.

His eyes roamed my face briefly before he sighed. I watched him warily and was caught off-guard when he closed the small gap between us and wrapped his arms around me. I was shocked, and I felt awkward, not used to being touched like this – especially not by him. I tentatively returned the gesture. He was tall, but so was I. My head rested on his upper chest, near his shoulder. He was burly, partially due to genetics and partially due to his many years playing Quidditch. He had a calming effect on me, and my anger melted away.

"Well, isn't this touching." A bored, drawling voice commented. I was sure when I stepped away that my cheeks were burning. "Mr. Diggory, I am sure you know the rules regarding male and female student interactions?"

"Professor Snape, he was just-," I began.

"Spare me, Miss Black, I am perfectly aware of what he was '_just'_ doing." He interrupted. Cedric's face turned redder than my own. "Fifteen points from Hufflepuff. Now, run along, Mr. Diggory, before it becomes detention."

Cedric reluctantly left but tossed me a grin over his shoulder as he rounded the corner toward the Hufflepuff common room. I wanted to return it, but I kept a neutral expression, perfectly aware of Snape's keen glare on us. I was good at pretending; I was a pure-blood, after all.


End file.
